Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-12-20
A CYCLONIC CENTER,
AROUND WHICH A TORNADO OF ELo-
QUENCE WILL RAGE.

Points of the Bill That VIII Let Loose the
Winds In Congress: the Administration
Tariff Proposition - The Commotion
Started in the Senate - Fairchiid to
Higgins-Capital Miscellany.
WASHINGTON CRY, Dec 2O-The admins
tration tariff BILL which will go before the
ways and means committee with the indorse-
ment of Speaker Carlisle after the holiday
recess, as the basis of revenue reform, con-
templates reduction Of $62, 000, ,00J annual
revenue. OF this amount $4,000, 600 is to
come from reductions of duties, chiefly on
manufactures. and $l2, ,0O0, 900 from adding
wool, salt, lumber, coal, etc, to the free list
The bill aims at very extensive revision OF
present methods of administering the tariff
law and at remedying inconsistencies and in
equalities in the law, as well as general re-
duction of the rate of tariff taxes 1t proposes
dissatisfaction ofspecific for advalorem rates,
where the latter are difficult of enforcement
In the chemical, earthen, and glassware
schedules numerous reductions are proposed.
In metals material reductions on iron and
steel are recommended In the wool and
"ociou oSIcuuiof III" "Voi boitih ithhc iiVot
the,rates on woolen fabrics are so reduced as to
take away about $40, 0o0, 900 upon the basis
Of last years importations. Inconsistencies
as to rates on worsted and wooden cloths are
corrected, and here occur some of the most
Important changes proposed in the bill. The
bill embraces the schedules prepared for
congress last winter by Secretary Fairchild,
substituting specific for advalorem duties on
silks, gloves and embroideries 1t also ip-
cludes the Hewitt plan for reform of the GUS
toms administrative service, with some
changes and additions suggested by treasury
experience since Hewitt's bill WAS first intro
duced
The senate finance committee has author
lied Allison to report to the senate the bill
compiled by the special committee of under
valuations, which has for two years been
studying the subject of reform OF the Gus
toms administrative laws, relating to the ap.
praisements of imported merchandise. The
bill contains 81 sections and repeals all Other
laws as to appraisements and Gus
tom administration 1t does away
with merchant appraisers, and witt
the right of importers to appeal from reap
apraisements to the courts, or the secretary
| OF the treasury. IL provides Tor nine gen
eral appraisers at salaries Of. S, 900, to whom
are given the power of final decision in al
| questions of classification and appraisement
The duties of customs officers and the require
ments as to invoices, entries, ETC., are all
more clearly defined. Penalties for offering
or accepting bribes and for ATTEMPTED
evasions of duty are made more severe.
is provided that invoices must give tn,
actual market value of imported merchandis
at the place of purchase or production. Ap
praising officers are authorized to use every
i proper means to ascertain the correctness o
invoices, and in cases of undervaluation t.
the extent of 5 per cent penalties will at
tach, and forfeiture in cases Of 20 pc
cent. differentiation. The burden of proc
is placed upon the importers instead of Gus
toms officers In cases of apparent fraud Th
system of damage allowances is wholly abol
ished. Coverings in which merchandise i
imported are to be included in estimatin,
the valne upon which duty is assessed. Th
bonded warehouse system is not in any wa,
changed by the bill Fees and oaths are don
away with as far as possible